


she had magic in her eyes even the stars envied

by thepurplecorner



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Doctor Who AU, F/F, Falling In Love, Time Travel, timelord!jamie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27690320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepurplecorner/pseuds/thepurplecorner
Summary: Tuesday November 3rd, 1987 was a strange night indeed.But it was the night Dani Clayton’s life truly begun.And it all started when a madwoman fell into the lake.aka the doctor who au
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 9
Kudos: 44





	she had magic in her eyes even the stars envied

_Strange_ is the only word Dani would describe her time at Bly manor in the last three months.

The Manor itself brewed with life, like something was always simmering, but Dani could never quite put her finger on it.

It was like something walked with them among the grounds.

Being the live in au pair to Miles and Flora was fulfilling, it was what Dani thrived at. She had grown to love them over the months, but even so, there was something about them that felt _off_ at times. Dissociative, even.

But it was in her nature to nurture. So, she perseveres with them, and in time hopes they can gain a resemblance of normality after the pain they’ve been through.

However, ‘strange’ does not even begin to cover the night of Tuesday November 3rd, 1987.

The day starts with Flora sleepwalking across the grounds again, and luckily Hannah and Dani find her and stop her before she reaches the lake.

“I think we should call a Doctor.” Owen remarks later that day over a hearty roast dinner he’d made for them all, “If Henry can’t be bothered anymore, it’s up to us now.”

Dani nods and pushes the food around her plate, “You’re right. I’m sick of waiting around for him. If anything happens to her—”

Hannah places her hand over Dani’s, “Dear, you’ve done everything for them. Nothing is going to happen to her, we just need her checked over.”

Dani smiles and squeezes her hand back and oh God is she grateful for her newfound family.

“Is there a family Doctor that Charlotte used to use?” Dani asks, setting a plan in motion.

Hannah nods, “I’m sure there’s details in her old personal planner, I’ll go fetch it.”

“You’re not going to finish your dinner?” Owen asks and Dani notices the concern etched on his face.

Hannah shakes his concern off with a smile, “I’m still full up from lunch earlier, but it was delicious as always Owen.”

After dinner, Dani puts Miles and Flora to bed, tucking them in with a kiss on the forehead and a short bedtime story.

Before she leaves to go home, Hannah passes her Charlotte’s old personal planner.

“There’s a few numbers in the index. There’s also my home phone number, if anything happens tonight with the kids just ring me, okay?”

Dani smiles and gives her a thanks and goodnight.

With a glass of wine, she sits in front of the fire and skims through Charlotte’s planner, when a scribble at the bottom of her index page catches her eye.

Dani swears to herself it was not there before.

_For emergencies only! Seriously, Charlotte, I might be a galaxy away and sometimes I get travel sickness, believe it or not – The Doctor._

Dani laughs to herself at the odd sentiment. It must be some sort of joke, but she is strangely drawn to it.

There’s a number underneath which is unlike any British telephone number she’s come across, but a part of her thinks: screw it! Charlotte had kept the note for a reason, and it was her duty now to look after her children.

It’s kind of anticlimactic when the odd dial tone rings and rings and suddenly cuts off.

Dani rolls her eyes at her stupidity and slams the phone down. It’s 8 o’clock anyway, she’s certain no Doctor’s practices are open, so she decides to wait and ring the local one tomorrow morning.

It’s when she’s washing her wine glass she hears the frantic knock at the door.

She dries her hands in a hurry and gathers herself. Chances are, it’s either Hannah or Owen had forgotten something, but still, being on her own in the large manor with the likes of Peter Quint possibly hanging about doesn’t sit well with her.

The knocking continues and she quietly eyes the large umbrella to the right of her, not the best but still a potential weapon, and opens the door.

There, stands a woman so beautiful it knocks Dani back a step.

The woman is _soaked_ through, wearing overalls and gloves that she’s currently taking off and wringing out.

“Oh _finally._ ” The woman answers in a sarcastic northern accent as she throws the gloves onto the floor.

“Well, this place is a lot fancier than the two-bedroom terrace in London.” The brunette states as she eyes the entrance to the manor. “Right, where is the little buggar?” The woman asks as she looks into Dani’s eyes.

Dani blinks in a daze, “Um, who?”

The woman throws her hands up and scoffs, “Charlotte!” She says it so matter of factly, like Dani had asked the most outlandish question.

Dani shakes her head and is rapidly getting more and more confused, “Charlotte… Um, she died. A few years ago… in an accident. Are you a friend of hers?” Dani sees the woman flinch at the news as genuine sorrow fills her eyes. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

The woman takes a steady breath to gather herself, “I’m the Doctor.”

Dani arches a brow because is that all she’s getting? Just the Doctor, then.

Dani watches on as The Doctor tries to swallow her sadness down at the news as she shakes out some of her wet unruly calls, “The emergency line went, and I was in the middle of Tardis repairs so I couldn’t navigate the bloody thing.” The woman turns and points towards the lake, “Next thing I know she’s thrown a tantrum, kicked me out, and I landed right in the bloody middle of _that._ ”

Dani, although endeared, is increasingly perplexed by this woman. It crosses her mind she could be an escaped asylum patient, but she knew of Charlotte, and she claimed to be the Doctor – the same number Dani had called.

Still, none of it made sense.

“So, what year is it?” The Doctor asks and examines the house by peeking a look over Dani’s shoulder and then eyeing her up and down, “Judging by your amazing hair and choice of clothes, I’m thinking the eighties?”

All Dani can do is nod despite the _bizarre_ question, “Yeah, it’s um, the year is nineteen eighty-seven.”

The Doctor shoots her a wide grin, “Eighty-seven! It’s been a while since I’ve been in eighty-seven. Last time was an Acid Rave and let me tell you—” The woman leans in with a smirk and wags her finger, “Don’t even bother. I lost a few days.”

Dani’s just about had it with the insane comments now, “Right, have you hit your head or something? Do _you_ need a Doctor?”

The woman pulls a face and crosses her arms, “How dare you. I’m perfectly fine, both hearts are beating anyway.” The Doctor pads her pockets and smiles as she pulls out a screwdriver, “Aha!”

The woman walks away from Dani and back to the lake, and Dani _knows_ she probably shouldn’t, she _knows_ she should leave it be and lock the doors, but there’s something about this crazy woman that feels _safe._

So, she follows.

The woman is holding the screwdriver out and scanning the lake and Dani has never seen anything so bizarre in all her life.

“This lake has a gravitational pull…” The Doctor muses to herself as the device in her hand makes a noise and she reads it, “Strange. Very strange.”

“Flora!” Dani blurts and the Doctor looks to her, “It’s why I called you in the first place. She’s been acting strange lately, sleepwalking a lot.” Dani looks around the eery lake, “She always ends up here.”

The woman smiles and comes bounding over, kissing her cheek with an exaggerated wet smack.

“You are a genius!” She exclaims grabbing onto the blonde’s shoulders, as Dani beams back at her. “What’s your name?”

“Dani Clayton, what’s yours?”

The woman holds her by the shoulders and shrugs, “Charlotte used to call me Jamie.” She says it like it’s nothing, like she doesn’t really have a name.

“Doctor Jamie… what?” Dani asks through a laugh because this woman has a twinkle in her eye and the widest smile.

“Just Doctor Jamie. Or the Doctor. Or Jamie” She rambles, “Whatever you want!”

Before Dani can answer, Jamie drops her hands from her shoulders and nods towards the house, “Right, Dani Clayton. Take me to this Flora!”

Dani can’t help but feel like this isn’t real as the woman marches next to her, scanning the grounds with this screwdriver device and gasping to herself.

Dani barely has the chance to ask her to take her muddy boots off, but she is bounding through the foyer and up the stairs, somehow knowing the way to the kid’s bedroom without being prompted.

As they enter the kid’s room, they’re met with an awake Miles and Flora staring at them guiltily from the window.

“AH!” Jamie screams and jumps back, she holds out a protective arm across Dani and whips her device at the kids, “Gremlins!”

Dani thinks Jamie must be a very popular children’s Doctor wherever she works.

Flora giggles from where she’s leant against the window, “We’re not gremlins!”

Jamie’s device squeaks and she reads it, “Correct. You’re human. Eight and Ten years old.” The woman laughs to herself and pockets her device and Dani blinks because _how_ did she know that? “Sorry, you look the spit image of the gremlins on Jupiter. Sneaky little buggars, stole me biscuits once.”

Miles scoffs and pulls a face, “No one lives on Jupiter, especially not gremlins.”

Jamie shakes her head a mumbles, “Spoken like a true human of the nineteen-eighties.”

Dani gives her a bemused smile before addressing the kids, “Why are you two up and out of bed?”

Flora points over her shoulder, “We heard this whirring noise! And—” Flora then points at Jamie, “She came falling out of this blue box into the lake!”

Jamie turns to Dani and gestures to her wet ensemble, “I told you the Tardis had a tantrum.”

“How can you have a flying box?” Miles asks, equally confused and excited.

Dani really should not believe a word coming out any one of their mouths but for an _instance_ it feels real, this Doctor Jamie is extremely convincing.

Beautiful women falling out of blue boxes into a lake in the middle of the small town of Bly? Impossible, surely.

Dani steps forward to attempt to steer the conversation away from crazy notions, “Kids, this is Doctor Jamie.” Dani motions to the woman and tries her best to not stare at how stunning she is, “She’s going to take a look at you Flora, okay? See how you’re doing.”

“But I’m feeling much better Miss Clayton.” Flora pleads, and Dani knows she scared.

“Ah, I know _why_ you look familiar!” Jamie blurts out and snaps her fingers, “You’re Charlotte’s children! Wow, you look just like her when she was your age.”

And Dani’s confused again because Jamie genuinely sounds truthful, but Dani wages she must’ve known Charlotte from when the children were first born. But why is she claiming to have known Charlotte as a child?

“You knew my Mother?” Miles perks up, eyes wide and curious.

“Yep.” Jamie moves forwards and bends down to look up at the kids, “She was about your age when we first met in London, she helped me capture something. A cracking young gal, she was.”

“But - isn’t that impossible?” Flora asks, equally enraptured by the woman as Miles, “You’re younger that our Mother was. How could you be friends?”

Dani sees Jamie’s eyes crinkle as she smiles and leans in to whisper, “Can you keep a secret? The same one your Mother once did?”

The kids look to each other and smile before looking back to the magnetic woman and nodding.

“I’m a time traveler.”

Dani rolls her eyes and shakes her head but smiles nonetheless at the children’s excited reactions, she figures Jamie must be an incredible paediatrician – these kids are already wrapped around her finger.

“The madwoman in the box! Mother told us stories of you before bedtime!” Miles exclaims, giddy from head to toe and Dani has never seen him look so happy.

“That’s me. Although, I’ve lost me bloody box.”

Suddenly, Jamie’s bombarded with hundreds of questions from the children.

“Alright,” Jamie simmers her hands, “I’ll answer your questions tomorrow, but you, young man—” Dani watches as Jamie taps his nose, “It’s your bedtime.” Miles huffs and Dani catches his eyes and nods towards his room, “And you, little Flora. I believe you have a check-up with the Doctor.”

Dani quickly thanks Jamie as she ushers Miles to his room and guiltily rushes through his bedtime routine, eager to get back to Jamie and Flora.

By the time she’s back in Flora’s room, the young girl is tucked up in bed herself and giggling away at the Doctor, who has stormed into their lives tonight and seems to have enraptured all three of them equally.

Dani feels herself blush at the thought.

Flora catches sight of her and smiles, “Good night, Miss Clayton.” The little girl yawns, “The Doctor is going to be here for breakfast with us tomorrow, I can’t wait. It’s going to be perfectly splendid.”

Flora seems to drift off as she says the words and Jamie, or the Doctor, whatever she wants to be called, rises and gestures for Dani to follow her out the room.

Dani grabs the other woman’s wrist and leads her to the door of her own room.

“What’s the verdict, Doc?” Dani asks, nervously wringing her hands.

Jamie’s brows furrow as she reaches in her pocket and pulls out her screwdriver device, “She’s fine now.” Dani sighs in relief, “But there’s an energy around her. The sonic can’t really decipher it, like it’s being masked by something.” Jamie looks serious, “It’s strong though whatever it is. I need to investigate the lake more—”

Dani holds her hand up to stop her in her tracks, “Wait. Slow down a second okay.” Dani fixes Jamie with a stern look, “Energy around her? The Sonic? Look, you’ve been helpful and the kids seem besotted already with your stories but all you’ve done tonight is spout some really weird things, and I know you maybe playing a prank on some dumb American, but I care about these kids, okay? I _care._ ”

Jamie places her hands upon Dani’s shoulders again and it’s so extremely comforting that Dani naturally closes her eyes for a second.

“Hey, listen.” Jamie says seriously and Dani opens her eyes to look into sincere ones, “I don’t think you’re some dumb American.” Jamie smiles, “I actually think you’re extremely remarkable, American or not.”

Dani laughs even though she doesn’t want to.

“I don’t think anyone has ever called me remarkable before.”

Jamie smirks and taps her chin, “I don’t think anyone has truly seen you before.” The Doctor places her hand back and grips Dani tightly, “You made the right call tonight, my number doesn’t show up for anyone you know.”

Dani tilts her head, “What do you mean?”

“I’m sorry, sometimes I’m a hundred miles an hour.” Jamie continues, “But what I said is true – it’s just hard to explain right now without my Tardis.”

Dani’s eyes shoot to the screwdriver currently resting on her shoulder, “And this? What’s this the Tardis car key or something?”

Jamie’s hands fall off Dani’s shoulders again as she flips the device in the air and catches it smoothly, “This is my sonic, its—” Suddenly her eyes go wide, “OH, you really are a genius aren’t you!” Jamie grabs Dani’s hand and pulls her towards the stairs, “Come on, gorgeous!”

Dani giggles as she’s pulled into a run, and it’s mad and it’s freeing and it’s her hand intertwined with Jamie’s that sends her heartbeat racing.

They’re soon through the front door and outside again.

Jamie’s hand is still in hers as she lifts her other hand holding the screwdriver into the air and presses the button.

“This, is a sonic probe,” Jamie begins as the device whirs and she searches the sky around her, “A very versatile tool, Gallifreyan technology.”

Dani smiles and says, “I don’t think I’ve heard of that company?”

Jamie stops scanning the sky for a second and looks at her, “It’s not a company. It’s a planet.”

Dani’s smile drops and she’s looking at Jamie so intensely because for some extraordinary reason, she believes her.

Jamie breaks the eye contact and looks back the sky again, “Oh come on!” She shouts, exasperated. “I’m with a pretty girl and you just want to ruin it for me by making me look crazy!”

Jamie huffs and drops her arm, and she lets go of Dani’s hand defeatedly.

Dani tries to ignore the disappointment she feels at the loss of contact, and she is about to ask the other woman if she’s alright.

Then a distant wheezing sound is heard.

“What’s that?” Dani’s spooked as she grabs a hold of Jamie’s hand again.

Jamie is _beaming,_ “Oh yes, baby!” The woman shouts into the night, and Dani is certain the kids will be woken up by it. “Come to Mama!”

The wheezing gets louder and Dani cannot believe her eyes as a blue Police box materialises right in front of them on the gravel.

“Dani Clayton,” Jamie smirks, all too proud, “This is the Tardis.” She gestures at the box, “Also know as Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.”

Dani finds herself in awe, she knows her jaw is figuratively on the floor and her eyes are wide like saucers.

“Ah, _Wonder_. One of the most beautiful states of being to look at on a human.” Jamie ponders as she stares at her.

Jamie then tugs on Dani’s hand walks forward and opens the door, “Come on, take a look.”

Dani is lead inside and _wow._

_It’s huge._

She stares in wonder as she takes in the giant console at the centre of the room. The inside has walls decorated in earthy tones, with plants of various sizes and colours – which Dani is now certain is not of this world – dotted across the space.

There’s a comfy looking chair at the centre of the console, a tray with a tea pot and a mug saying, ‘PRIDE 2170’. There’s a notice board of sorts, and Dani can’t believe her eyes as she sees various photographs of Jamie pinned to it, some wearing different fashions: older, newer, futuristic. Even some with different people and species and planets.

“It’s…” Dani utters, and she can barely form words, shock still in her system. “It’s smaller on the outside.”

Jamie laughs and looks around proudly, “I don’t usually get that, but yes, it is.”

“So, this is a spaceship?” Dani manages to squeak out, eyes still scanning anything and everything in the room.

Jamie smirks proudly, “Oh, it’s so much more than that.”

Dani’s fingers trace the outer edge of the console as she walks around, “A spaceship and a time machine?”

Jamie winks, “Bingo.”

Dani suddenly laughs, manically almost, as Jamie smiles at her fondly.

“You’re taking this pretty well, if I’m honest.” Jamie comments as she comes to stand beside her.

Dani feels a swell of emotions.

“It’s just… I left my old _boring_ life. There were too many expectations, I couldn’t deal with the pressure.” Dani looks down, “I left my fiancé because I couldn’t deal with my feelings for him, well, lack of feelings. I guess I was always looking for something _more._ ” The blonde looks back to Jamie, “Just funny isn’t it.”

Jamie’s smirking at her and Dani notices her intrigue, “What’s funny?”

Dani smirks back, “How growing up I always wanted to be free, to have an adventure.” She feels her eyes swell with tears, “And now, I end up on the other side of the world, in the middle of nowhere, where a time traveler crash lands into the lake.” Dani laughs again, “And she has a Police box as a spaceship.”

Jamie fixes her with a look, Dani can see the deepness that goes behind her bright eyes. “Everything happens for a reason, Dani Clayton.”

Dani smiles sweetly, overcome with the urge to just barrel forward, and kiss the other woman.

“How ‘bout a quick adventure?” Jamie asks with a cheeky grin, hands flipping switches on the console.

Dani panics, the thoughts of kissing forgotten about. “I can’t! What about the kids?”

Jamie laughs, “Time machine! We’ll be back exactly where we left, trust me.”

Dani bursts out laughing, “This is crazy!”

Jamie is pumping a switch now, eyes shining with glee, “Come on, Dani! A bit of crazy doesn’t hurt anyone!”

Dani walks beside her and links her arm, “I didn’t say I didn’t like crazy.”

Jamie smirks, “That’s good for me, then.” The system whirs ahead of them like it’s revving. “Anywhere in the world, where do you want to go?”

“Surprise me.”

Jamie laughs and slams the lever down as the Tardis whirls to life and Dani grips harder.

Suddenly, there’s a loud bang and the women are flung back across the floor.

Dani blinks up from the ground and sees smoke above them.

“Oh, well that’s embarrassing.” Jamie grunts from the floor, “You okay?”

Dani laughs again, “Some time traveler you are.”

Jamie sits up and offers her hand, “Don’t blame the captain, blame the ship.”

The Tardis beeps like it’s talking back, and Jamie rolls her eyes, “Yeah well you didn’t tell me you need to refuel!”

Dani smiles as she’s pulled to her feet, “The adventure is on hold for now, I guess?”

Jamie winces, “The old girl needs a quick repair and a few days rest. I think whatever force is in the lake drained her out,” Dani frowns, hyper aware that something odd is happening on the grounds. “But don’t worry your pretty little head, I’m gonna get to the bottom of it, and after I can take you to see the stars, alright?”

Dani takes a moment to scream internally at the prospect of Jamie spending a few days at the Manor, and an adventure soon after.

“Uh, do you need a room making up?” Dani asks nervously, unable to look Jamie in the eye for some reason.

Jamie laughs and nudges Dani’s shoulder, “Sweet of you to ask Miss Clayton, but I don’t need as much sleep as you lot.” Jamie turns to the console and taps on a few buttons, “I’ll be doing some maintenance tonight, I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast?”

“Yeah sure, I—” Dani looks around still, not wanting to leave just yet. “Could I stay a little while longer?”

Jamie smiles brightly, “Course, love. Want a cuppa?”

Dani’s face lights up as she nods her head eagerly and Jamie sonics her teapot.

“I’ll introduce to the dancing plants later, they’re due to wake in an hour, a riot they are!”

Dani cannot quite believe it, but here, on the grounds of Bly with a time traveler in a police box, she feels at home.

Tuesday November 3rd, 1987 was a strange night indeed.

But it was the night Dani Clayton’s life truly begun.

And it all started when a madwoman fell into the lake.


End file.
